FI128983B

FI128983B - Apparatus and method for sorting particles in flowing suspension

Info

Publication number: FI128983B
Application number: FI20185405A
Authority: FI
Inventors: Viivi Nuottajärvi
Original assignee: Valmet Automation Oy
Priority date: 2018-05-02
Filing date: 2018-05-02
Publication date: 2021-04-30
Also published as: WO2019211523A1; FI20185405A1

Abstract

An apparatus for sorting particles in flowing suspension (120) comprises a first conduit (100) comprising a plurality of separate objects (104) orderly arranged in a form of a plurality of rows (106 to 110) inclined with respect to a direction (124) of a laminar flow of the suspension (120) including elongated particles (122) and flowing therethrough in a laminar manner, the elongated particles (122) of a botanical origin having a longitudinal dimension (L) larger than either of lateral and vertical dimensions (D). A shortest distance (L1) between directly adjacent objects (122) of a row (106 to 110) of the first conduit (100) is equal to or larger than the longitudinal dimension (L) of the elongated particles (122), and the objects (104) of the first conduit (100) are wider on a side receiving the laminar flow than on an opposite side which deviates the elongated particles (122) into separate paths in the laminar flow on the basis of their longitudinal dimension (L) for sorting them.

Description

Apparatus and method for sorting particles in flowing suspension Field The invention relates to an apparatus and method for sorting particles in flowing suspension.

Background Separation of particles based on their sizes is important in several fields of industrial technology.

For example, wood fibers and fibrils have been separated using field-flow fractionators, for example.

A variety of nano- or micro-fabricated structures are available in order to sort biopolymers such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules.

In larger scales, an array of micro-rods, which cause a deterministic lateral displacement as a function of a particle size, have been applied to sort round and often planar particles such as blood cells.

Patent document W02014145075 presents methods and devices for high throughput purification.

Patent document W02004037374 presents a method for continuous particle separation using obstacle arrays asymmetrically aligned to fields.

Patent document US20180080060 presents separation of molecules using nanopillar arrays.

Patent document W02008016414 presents an apparatus and a method for continuous particle separation.

BEECH, JP. et al.

Separation of pathogenic bacteria by chain length, 2018, Analytica Chimica Acta, Vol. 1000, p. 223-231 presents separation of subpopulations of bacteria depending on known properties that affect their N capability to cause disease using Deterministic lateral Displacement devices N optimized for sensitivity to particle length.

JIANG, M. et al.

Fractionation by shape S in deterministic lateral displacement microfluidic devices, Microfluidics and N 25 Nanofluidics, 2015, Vol. 19, p. 427-434 presents an investigation of the migration E of particles of different geometrical shapes and sizes in a scaled-up model of a S gravity-driven deterministic lateral displacement (g-DLD) device.

SHASHI, R. et al. o DLD pillar shape design for efficient separation of spherical and non-spherical N bioparticles, Lab on a chip, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 21, p. 4250-4262 presents that pillar shapes in DLD affect bioparticle separation.

However, there is still demand for sorting of particles which are particularly of botanical origin because their size and shape makes them challenging to effectively separate. Brief description The invention is defined by the independent claims. Embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. List of drawings Example embodiments of the present invention are described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates an example of apparatus sorting elongated particles; Figure 2 illustrates an example of laminar streams and behaviour of elongated particles caused by tailored objects for sorting the elongated particles on the basis of their length; Figure 3A illustrates an example of apparatus with a pressurizer; Figure 3B illustrates an example of apparatus with a pressurizer causing a pressure difference over a part of a conduit; Figure 4 illustrates an example of cascaded sub-conduits; Figure 5 illustrates an example of a second conduit sorting elongated particles on the basis of their thickness; N Figure 6 illustrates an example of the apparatus with a measuring 3 device; N Figures 7 to 10 illustrate examples of shapes of obstacles; - 25 Figure 11 illustrates an example of an analyser with at least one E processor and at least one memory; S Figure 12 illustrates an example of a chain of conduits; and 3 Figure 13 illustrates of an example of a flow chart of a sorting method.

N

Description of embodiments The following embodiments are only examples.

Although the specification may refer to “an” embodiment in several locations, this does not necessarily mean that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment.

Single features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments.

Furthermore, words "comprising" and "including" should be understood as not limiting the described embodiments to consist of only those features that have been mentioned and such embodiments may contain also features and/or structures that have not been specifically mentioned.

All combinations of the embodiments are considered possible if their combination does not lead to structural or logical contradiction.

Figures illustrate various embodiments, and they are simplified diagrams that only show some structures and/or functional entities.

The connections that are shown in the Figures may be logical or physical.

It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the described apparatus may also comprise other functions and structures than those described in Figures and text.

It should be appreciated that details of some functions, structures used for measurement and/or controlling are irrelevant to the actual invention.

Therefore, they need not be discussed in more detail here.

Figure 1 illustrates an example of an apparatus that sorts particles 122 of flowing suspension 120. The apparatus comprises a first conduit 100. In an N embodiment, the apparatus may also comprise a second conduit 102. The conduit N 100, 102 isa device which causes a deterministic lateral displacement as a function & 25 ofa size of particle flowing within a fluid through the conduit 100, 102. Devices N causing the deterministic lateral displacement are known, per se, which is why E their general structure needs not to be discussed further.

However, their internal S structure have not earlier been tailored for sorting elongated particles. o Each of the conduits 100, 102 comprise a plurality of separate objects N 30 104, 104’ (triangles in Figure 1) orderly arranged in a form of a plurality of rows 106, 108, 110, 106’, 108’, 110’. The rows 106 to 110 and 106’ to 110’ are inclined with respect to a direction 124, 124’ of a flow of the suspension 120, which flows through the conduits 100, 102 in a laminar manner. In an embodiment, the direction of the rows 106 to 110, 106’ to 110’ is at least approximately perpendicular to the direction 124, 124’ of the flow. The laminar flow has no or no statistically observable turbulence. A laminar flow has a sufficiently low Reynolds number. A person skilled in the art familiar with deterministic lateral displacement components finds easily a speed or speeds for the flow such that the flow is laminar or laminar enough. The suspension 120 includes elongated particles 122, which have a longitudinal dimension L larger than a lateral dimension and a vertical dimension D. That is, the length of the particles 122 has a larger value than a value of a larger dimension of the height and width of the particles 122 in the same scale. Here, the word “dimension” refers to a spatial extent of the particles 122, which may be (called) length, width or height.

That the three-dimensional particle 122 is elongated may also be defined such that the elongated particles 122 have a smaller circumference confined to a plane than circumferences confined to planes perpendicular to said plane. The longitudinal dimension may be several times longer than any other dimension of the particle. In an embodiment, the lateral /vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be 10 nm to 100 nm, for example. The longitudinal dimension of the particles 122 may be 100 nm to 100 um, for example. The particles 122 are slender and they may be like bars. The particles 122 are of botanical origin and in N an embodiment they may comprise pieces or fragments of micro cellulose and/or N nano cellulose. A largest longitudinal dimension of the particles 122 may be about & 25 200 pm. In an embodiment, a largest longitudinal dimension of the particles 122 N may be about 100 um. In an embodiment, a largest longitudinal dimension of the i particles 122 may be tens of micrometers. S A shortest distance L1 between directly adjacent the objects 104 of a o row 106 to 110 of the first conduit 100 is egual to or larger than a longitudinal i 30 dimensionLofthe elongated particles 122. A maximum distance L1 may be tens of times the longitudinal dimension L of the particles 122, for example. The objects

104 of the first conduit 100 are wider on a side receiving the laminar flow than on an opposite side, the width being measured in a direction parallel to that of the row 106 to 110. The relation of the width of the objects 104 with respect to the laminar flow causes the elongated particles 122 to deviate into separate paths in the 5 laminar flow on the basis of their longitudinal dimension L. In other words, the deviation in paths as a function of the lengths of the particles in practice sorts them. In this manner, the first conduit 100 outputs different fractions of particles 122 as a function of positions in a direction parallel to the rows 106, 110. As shown in Figure 2, the objects 104 of the first conduit 100 cause the laminar flow to diverge while passing between two directly adjacent objects 104. The diverging laminar flow, in turn, increases parallelism between the longitudinal axes of the elongated particles 122 and a direction perpendicular to the direction 124 of the laminar flow. In other words, the diverging laminar flow increases parallelism between the longitudinal axes of the elongated particles 122 and the direction of a row 106 to 110 through which the suspension 120 flows. The longitudinal dimension of the elongated particles 122 then turns towards the direction perpendicular to the direction of the laminar flow, i.e. turns towards the direction of the row 106 to 110. The turning allows the elongated particles 122 to pass through between the objects 104 in a position approximately parallel to each of the rows 106 to 110. To turn long particles requires strong enough divergence of the laminar flows, and to manipulate the elongated particles 122 in that manner is enabled by the objects 104 of the first conduit 100, which are wider on the side N receiving the laminar flow than on the opposite side.

N As also can be seen in Figure 2, the objects 104 of the first conduit 100 & 25 cause diverging side-by-side laminar streams 130, 132, 134. The number of the N side-by-side streams 130 to 134 can be considered at least three but in general i there is no particular limit to the number of the streams 130 to 134. It may be so S that the streams 130 to 134 have boundaries such that on the opposite side of the o boundaries there are distinctly different velocities. On the other hand, it may be so i 30 that the streams 130 to 134 have no boundaries but instead velocity in between the obstacles 104 may vary continuously as a function of distance from an obstacle

104.

With the help of Figure 2, it can be seen that the first conduit 100 comprises gaps 140 between directly adjacent objects 104 of at least one of the rows 106 to 110. The gaps 140 are narrower on the side receiving the suspension flow than on an opposite side.

The streams 130 to 134 separated from each other with a dashed line in Figure 2 have different velocities. The streams 130, 134, which are the closest to the objects 104 and in contact to the objects 104 of a row 106, have the lowest velocity. A stream 132 farthest from the obstacles 104 has the highest velocity in the laminar flow through the gaps 140 between the objects 104 of a common row 106 to 110. At the next row 108 the distribution of velocities may change when the laminar flow has to pass between the obstacles 104 of that row. The number of the rows in the conduits 100, 102 may vary between 2 to 100, for example. In an embodiment, the number rows may be between 5 to 30.

When a particle 122 enters a gap 140 between two obstacles 104, it may bend leaving both ends behind because the stream 132 in the middle of the gap 140 has a higher velocity than the streams 130, 134 on both sides of it. In the widening gap 140, the particle 122 may straighten again and become approximately parallel to the direction of the rows 106, 108. The faster stream 132 may also pull the particle 122 such that the particle 122 is displaced towards right.

When a particle 122’ enters a gap 140 between two obstacles 104, it N may bend leaving one end behind because the stream 132 in the middle of the gap N 140 has a higher velocity than the stream 134 on one side of it. In the widening gap & 25 140, the particle 122' may straighten again and become approximately parallel to N the direction of the rows 106, 108. The faster stream 132 may also pull the particle i 122’ towards it but in the next gap the particle 122’ is displaced towards right. S When a particle 122” shorter than the previous particles 122, 122’ o enters a gap 140 between two obstacles 104, it may bend leaving one end behind i 30 because the stream 132 in the middle of the gap 140 has a higher velocity than the stream 134 on one side of it. In the widening gap 140, the particle 122” may straighten again and become approximately parallel to the direction of the rows 106, 108. The short particle 122” remains mainly in one stream 130 to 134 in the flow and that is why it is not displaced towards right. The short particle 122” remains mainly in one stream 130 to 134 in the flow through the first conduit 100 and that is why it is statistically not displaced towards right. In general, the particles 122 are displaced towards right the more effectively the longer they are. The elongated particles 122 are displaced towards right in Figure 2 because the rows 106, 108 have a row shift S rightwards. If the row shift S is made leftwards, the particles 122 are displaced towards left.

In an embodiment an example of which is illustrated in Figure 3A, the apparatus may comprise a pressurizer 300 which may control pressure difference in the first conduit 100 in order to cause a pressure difference over the first conduit

100. The pressurizer 300 may comprise a pump, which forces the suspension 120 through the first and/or second conduit(s) 100, 102. Alternatively or additionally, — the pressurizer 300 may comprise a pressure accumulator, for example.

In an embodiment an example of which is illustrated on Figure 3B, the pressurizer 300 may force the suspension 120 through a part of the first conduit

100. The pressure difference in this example is caused over the part of the first conduit 100. The part may be a downstream part of the first conduit 100 with respect to the direction of the flow of the suspension 120.

In an embodiment, the pressurizer 300 may set the pressure difference in the first conduit 100 above the normal temperature and pressure (NTP) level. In N a corresponding manner, the pressurizer 300 may set the pressure difference in N the second conduit 102 above the normal temperature and pressure (NTP) level. & 25 In this manner, the first conduit 100 may not become blocked up so easily. The N sorting may also be performed guicker than without the pressure difference. i In an embodiment the pressurizer 300 may cause pulses of pressure in S the first conduit 100. In this manner, the first and/or second conduit(s) 100, 102 o may not become blocked up so easily. The pulsation may free any possible particle i 30 122 stuckin the first conduit 100 such that a free flow may continue. The sorting may also be performed guicker than without the pressure pulsation. Alternatively or additionally, a stuck may be freed by diluting the suspension fed to the first and/or second conduit(s) 100, 102. Instead of dilution, water or other liquid without the particles 122 may be fed to the first and/or second conduit(s) 100, 102 in order to release a stuck. In an embodiment an example of which is illustrated in Figure 4, the first conduit 100 may comprise a cascade of sub-conduits 100°, 100”. A distance L1” between directly adjacent the objects 104 of a row 106(2) to 110(2) of a second sub-conduit 100”, which receives the suspension 120 from a first sub-conduit 100’ directly prior to the second sub-conduit 100” in the direction of the laminar flow ofthe suspension 120, may be shorter than a distance L1' between directly adjacent the objects 104 of a row 106 to 110 of first sub-conduit 100”. In an embodiment, the objects 104 of the second sub-conduit 100” may be larger than those in the first sub-conduit 100’. In an embodiment, the objects 104 of the second sub-conduit 100” may be ordered in denser manner than those in the first sub-conduit 100". In an embodiment, the pressurizer 300 may cause the pressure difference over the first or second sub-conduit 100’, 100”. In an embodiment, the first conduit 100 may output elongated particles 122 longer than the distance between the directly adjacent objects 104 of the second sub-conduit 100” prior to the second sub-conduit 100” through an output channel 400. In this manner, a fraction of the largest particles 122 can be removed before it enters a denser section of the first conduit 100. N In an embodiment, the apparatus may comprise an input 150 for N receiving the suspension 120. The input 150 may receive the suspension 120 from & 25 acellulose process, a stock preparation process or a pulp process. Alternatively, the N suspension 120 may be received from a fractionator (fractionator is shown in i Figure 3B). A fraction, which is typically the finest fraction, from the fractionator S 350 may be sorted with the first and/or the second conduit 100, 102. The o fractionator 350 outputs fines that cannot be sorted and analyzed with the N 30 fractionator 350. The fines can be sorted with the first and/or second conduit 100,

102.

In an embodiment, the apparatus may comprise a flow splitter 152 coupled to the input 150 for splitting the received suspension 120 into the first conduit 100 and the second conduits 102. In an embodiment, the apparatus may comprise an antiflocculant feeder 200 that may provide the suspension 120 of the first conduit 100 with at least one antiflocculantagent (see Figure 1). In an embodiment, the antiflocculant feeder 200 may provide the suspension 120 of the second conduit 102 with at least one antiflocculant agent.

The antiflocculant feeder 200 may feed the at least one antiflocculant agent to the suspension 120 at or prior to the input 150. The second conduit 102, in a comparable manner to the first conduit 100, comprises a plurality of separate objects 104’ orderly arranged in a form of a plurality of rows 106’, 108’, 110’ inclined to a direction of a laminar flow of the suspension 120. Figure 5 illustrates an example of the second conduit 102. A shortest distance L2 between directly adjacent the objects 104’ of a row 106’ to 110’ of the second conduit 102 is equal to or larger than a lateral dimension D of the elongated particles 122 (particle 122 and distance L2 are not in scale in Figure 5). The objects 104’ of the second conduit 102 are narrower on a side receiving the laminar flow than on an opposite side, which causes the elongated particles 122 to deviate into separate paths in the laminar flow on the basis of their lateral dimension D for sorting them.

In this manner, the second conduit 102, like the first conduit 100, outputs different fractions of the particles 122 as a function of a position in a N direction of the rows 106’ to 110". N In an embodiment, the objects 104’ of the second conduit 102 may cause & 25 thelaminar flow to converge for increasing parallelism between longitudinal axes N of the elongated particles 122 and the direction 124’ of the laminar flow.

The i convergence may turn the longitudinal dimension of the elongated particles 122 S towards the direction 124’ of the laminar flow (see Figure 5). o In an embodiment, the objects 104' of the second conduit 102 may i 30 cause, in an opposite manner to the first conduit 100, converging side-by-side laminar streams of different velocities in the laminar flow through gaps 140 between the objects 104 of the rows 106’ to 110’ which may cause deviation of the paths of the elongated particles 122 for sorting them.

A largest lateral /vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be about 10 times smaller than that of the longitudinal dimension.

In an embodiment, a largest lateral /vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be about 50 um.

In an embodiment, a largest lateral /vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be at least ten times smaller than that of the longitudinal dimension.

In an embodiment, a largest lateral /vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be about 100 times smaller than that of the longitudinal dimension.

In an embodiment, a largest lateral/vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be about 10 pm.

In an embodiment, a largest lateral/vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be at least a hundred times smaller than that of the longitudinal dimension.

In an embodiment, a largest lateral /vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be about 1 um.

In an embodiment, a largest lateral/vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be atleast a thousand times smaller than that of the longitudinal dimension.

In an embodiment, a largest lateral/vertical dimension of the particles 122 may be about 0.1 um.

Although Figures 3A, 3B and 4 illustrates the first conduit 100, the embodiments illustrated in Figures 3A, 3B and 4 can also be applied to the second conduit 102. In an embodiment, a distance DR between two of the rows 106 to 110, 106' to 110' of the first and/or second conduit 100, 102 may vary from row to row, N the two rows being directly adjacent in the direction the laminar flow.

N In an embodiment, a distance DR between two of the rows 106 to 110, & 25 106'to110'ofthe first and/or second conduit 100, 102 may vary as a function of a N position in a longitudinal axis of the rows.

In an embodiment, the distance DR E between the rows 106 to 110, 106' to 110' may be larger in ends of the rows, which S the largest particles tend to displace towards than at opposite ends of the rows. o This facilitates the sorting of the larger particles.

N 30 In an embodiment, the distance DR between the rows 106 to 110, 106’ to 110’ may be larger in the middle of the rows than at the ends of the rows.

The curve of the distance DR modifies the sorting distribution of the particles on the basis of the shape of the curve.

In an embodiment, the apparatus may comprise a flusher 500 for providing the conduit 100 with a backflow in order to clean the first conduit 100 (see Figure 1). In an embodiment, the flusher 500 may flush the conduit 100 with a backflow in order to clean the second conduit 102. In this manner, stuck particles in the first conduit 100 may be removed and flushed with the backflow into a drain.

In an embodiment an example of which is illustrated in Figure 6, the apparatus may comprise a measuring device 600 that may measure at least one property of the particles 122 and/or the suspension 120 of at least one of the separated fractions 602, 604, 606, 608, 610, 612 output by either or both of the first and second conduits 100, 102. The first conduit 100 and/or the second conduit 102 may receive the suspension 120 from the fractionator 350. The measuring device 600 may then measure the atleast one property of the particles 122 and/or the suspension 120. The measurement device 600 may comprise a measurement chamber arrangement 614 which may allow flow of the fraction 602 to 612 of the suspension 120 therethrough.

The measurement chamber arrangement 614 may alternatively function in a batch mode such that an amount of a fraction 602 to 612 is taken into the measurement chamber arrangement 614 prior to the measurement, the amount is kept in the measurement chamber arrangement 614 during the measurement, and posterior to the measurement the fraction 602 to 612 in the N measurement chamber arrangement 614 is discharged.

Different fractions 602 to N 612 may be measured seguentially using one common measurement chamber or & 25 simultaneously using unique measurement chamber unit for each of the fractions N 602 to 612. The measurement device 600 may also comprise an analyzer 616. The i particle focusing for measurement purposes may be done using channel formation, S SAW (Surfacce Acoustic Waves) or dielectrophoresis technology.

Here the particles o are arranged into measurement focus area using electrokinetic electrode a 30 arrangement.

In an embodiment, the measuring device 600 may perform at least one of the following: an optical measurement, a microwave measurement, an electrical measurement, a mass spectroscopic measurement, and a nuclear magnetic resonance measurement.

For the optical measurement, the measuring device 600 may comprise at least one optical sensor and/or at least one camera in order to receive light from the measurement chamber arrangement 614. The at least one camera may also capture images from the fractions 602 to 612 of the suspension 120 in the measurement chamber arrangement 614. Additionally, the measuring device 600 may comprise an optical radiation source for illuminating the measurement chamber arrangement 614.

For the microwave measurement, the measuring device 600 may comprise at least one microwave sensor for transmitting microwave radiation to and receiving the microwave radiation from the measurement chamber arrangement 614. The microwave measurement may be based on a phase shift, time of flight and/or resonance which at least one property of the fractions 602 to 612 may affect.

For the electrical measurement, the measuring device 600 may comprise at least two electrodes for inputting electric signal to and receiving the electric signal from the measurement chamber arrangement 614. For the mass spectroscopic measurement, the measuring device 600 may comprise at least one mass spectrometer which ionizes the particles 122 for N measuring their masses. N For the nuclear magnetic resonance measurement, the measuring S 25 device 600 may comprise at least one nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer N for detecting chemical compounds in medium of the suspension 120 and in the i particles 122. S The analyzer 616 may provide information about transparency, o polarization, colors, shapes and/or dimensions of the particles 122 on the basis of i 30 the optical measurement. Additionally or alternatively, the analyzer 616 may provide information about consistency of the measured fraction 602 to 612.

The analyzer 616 may provide information about consistency of the fractions 602 to 622 of the suspension 120 on the basis of the microwave measurement.

The analyzer 616 may provide information about electrical conductance of the suspension 120 on the basis of the electrical measurement which is affected by the particles 122. The analyzer 616 may provide information about gas bubbles, and particularly their interfaces with the suspension 120, their sizes, such as diameters, cross-sectional areas and/or volumes on the basis of an electrical impedance tomography measurement.

Additionally or alternatively, the analyzer 616 may provide information about relative amount of gas in at least one of the fractions 602 to 612. The analyzer 616 may provide information about chemical compounds in medium of the suspension 120 and in the particles 122. The analyzer 616 may present the information on a screen of its user interface 618. The user interface may also comprise a keyboard or a touch-screen for inputting information to the analyzer 616. The analyzer 616 may have a wired or wireless connection with a data network such the Internet for downloading and/or uploading information.

In an embodiment, the obstacles 104 of the first conduit 100 and/or the second conduit 102 may be printed on a substrate.

In an embodiment, the obstacles 104 of the first conduit 100 and/or the second conduit 102 may be etched in a substrate.

Material of the first and/or second conduit 100, 102 may include at least N one of the following: metal, polymer, silicon and composite without limiting to N these. & 25 In general, a shape of the obstacle 104 may be defined as having a N different sized cross-section at one end than at the opposite end in order to fulfil i the reguirements that the objects 104 of the first conduit 100 are wider on the side S receiving the laminar flow than on an opposite side, and that the objects 104 of the o second conduit 102 are narrower on the side receiving the laminar flow than on an i 30 opposite side.

The cross-section of the obstacle 104 may become thinner when proceeding from said one end to the opposite end.

The thinning may be linear or non-linear.

The thinning may be continuous or non-continuous.

The obstacle 104 may be tapered.

Figures 7A, 7B, 8, 9 and 10 illustrate some examples of shapes of the obstacles 104 which the invention is not limited to.

Figure 7A illustrates a shape which is similar to a drop.

Figure 7A also illustrates an embodiment in which a centerline of the obstacle 104 has an angle a with respect to the direction 124 of flow of suspension 120. In an embodiment, the angle may be set towards the direction of the displacement of the particles 122. Figure 7B illustrates an example of a substrate 700 on which the obstacle 104 is located.

The arrow show the direction 124, 124 of the flow of suspension.

The substrate 700 may be curved such that the conduit 100, 102 may be a duct or a pipe, for example (dashed line). The conduit 100, 102 may comprise an inclined surface of the substrate 700 which may be a flat surface or a gutter on which the suspension flows, the word inclined referring to a direction which is not horizontal or vertical.

The flat surface or the gutter means that the conduit 100, 102 may have an open upper part.

Alternatively, the conduit 100, 102 may have the upper part.

Additionally, the sides of the conduit 100, 101 may also have walls which results in the duct the cross-section of which may be any closed plain geometrical figure.

In an embodiment illustrated in Figure 8, a shape of the obstacle 104 may be a right-angled triangle.

In an embodiment illustrated in Figure 9, a shape of the obstacle 104 N may be quadrilateral.

In an embodiment, a corner of the obstacle 104 may be right- N angled. 0 = 25 In an embodiment illustrated in Figure 10, a shape of the obstacle 104 - may be a hexagon, one end of which is tapered.

Figure 10 also illustrates an E example according to which the obstacle 104 is attached to the substrate 700 using S nails, bars, rivets 1000 or the like.

When the nail, bar, rivet 1000 or the like on left o is moved upwards and the nail, bar, rivet 1000 or the like on right is moved N 30 downwards and vice versa repeatedly, the obstacle 104 may be made vibrate in a rotatable manner.

The vibration may be used to detach particles 122 from the obstacle 104. All or at least a part of the obstacles 104 may be attached in this manner to the substrate 700.

The analyzer 616 may comprise at least one processor 1100 and at least one memory 1102 which is illustrated in Figure 11. The at least one memory 1102 may comprise a computer program for performing the method steps required by the analysis of at least one of the following: the optical measurement, the microwave measurement, the electrical measurement, the mass spectroscopic measurement, and the nuclear magnetic resonance measurement corresponding to what the measuring device 600 is desired to measure. The computer program may be distributed using a distribution medium which may be any medium readable by the controller. The medium may be a program storage medium, a memory, a software distribution package, or a compressed software package. In some cases, the distribution may be performed using at least one of the following: a near field communication signal, a short distance signal, and a telecommunications signal.

Figure 12 illustrates an example of an embodiment where a number of the first conduits 100 are in a form of a chain. When a first conduit 100 is worn out, stuck or becomes otherwise unsuitable for the sorting, it may be replaced by a next first conduit 100 moving the next conduit 100 forward while the previous first conduit 100 leaves its place. Alternatively or additionally, a first conduit 100 may be replaced by a next first conduit 100 periodically. The period may be constant or it may depend on how much suspension 120 has flown through it and/or what kind N of suspension has flown through it. The replaced/worn out/unsuitable conduit is N illustrated with dashed line rectangular, and the movement of the chain of conduits & 25 is illustrated with a horizontal arrow pointing leftwards in Figure 12. In this N manner, the replacement can be made guickly.

i A conduit 100, 102 may be arectangle the sides of which are millimeters S or centimeters long. A thickness of the conduit 100, 102 may be measured in o micrometers or millimeters. A side of the conduit 100, 102 may be a centimeter or i 30 a few centimeters long, for example. A side of the conduit 100, 102 may be a millimeter or a few millimeters long, for example.

Figure 13 is a flow chart of the sorting method. In step 1300, the suspension 120, which has elongated particles 122 of botanical origin having a longitudinal dimension L larger than either of lateral and vertical dimensions D, is caused to flow, in a laminar manner, through a first conduit 100, which comprises a plurality of separate objects 104 orderly arranged in a form of a plurality of rows 106 to 110 inclined to a direction 124 of the laminar flow of the suspension 120, and a shortest distance L1 between directly adjacent objects 104 of a row 106 to 110 of the first conduit 100 is equal to or larger than the longitudinal dimension L of the elongated particles 122. There are additional steps 1302 and 1304 which further describe the sorting method. In step 1302, parallelism between the longitudinal axes of the elongated particles 122 and a direction perpendicular to the direction of the laminar flow 124 is increased on the basis of divergence of the laminar flow caused by the objects 104 of the first conduit 100 that are wider on a side receiving the laminar flow than on an opposite side. In step 1304, the elongated particles 122 are sorted by deviating the elongated particles 122 to separate paths on the basis of their longitudinal dimension L by diverging side-by- side laminar streams 130 to 134 of different velocities in the laminar flow through gaps 140 between the objects 104 of a common row 106 to 110 with the objects 104 of the first conduit 100.

It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as technology advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the example embodiments N described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.

N 0

I N N

I a a

LO

O +

LO 00

O N

Claims

1. An apparatus that is configured to sort particles in flowing suspension (120), characterized in that the apparatus comprises an input (150) configured to receive the suspension (120), and a flow splitter (152) coupled to the input (150) and configured to split the received suspension (120) into the first conduit (100) and a second conduit (102); the first conduit (100) comprises a plurality of separate objects (104) orderly arranged in a form of a plurality of rows (106 to 110) inclined with respect to a direction (124) of a laminar flow of the suspension (120) including elongated particles (122) and flowing therethrough in a laminar manner, the elongated particles (122) of a botanical origin having a longitudinal dimension (L) larger than either of lateral and vertical dimensions (D); a shortest distance (L1) between directly adjacent objects (104) of a row (106 to 110) of the first conduit (100) is equal to or larger than the longitudinal dimension (L) of the elongated particles (122), and the objects (104) of the first conduit (100) are wider on a side receiving the laminar flow than on an opposite side, which is used to deviate the elongated particles (122) into separate paths in the laminar flow on the basis of their longitudinal dimension (L) for sorting them; and the second conduit (102) comprises a plurality of separate objects N (104”) orderly arranged in a form of a plurality of rows (106' to 110’) inclined to a N direction (124") of a laminar flow of the suspension (120) including elongated & 25 particles (122) and flowing therethrough in a laminar manner; and N a shortest distance (L2) between directly adjacent the objects (104) of i a row (106' to 110°) of the second conduit (102) is equal to or larger than a lateral S dimension (D) of the elongated particles (122), and the objects (104") of the second o conduit (102) are narrower on a side receiving the laminar flow than on an i 30 opposite side which is configured to deviate the elongated particles (122) into separate paths in the laminar flow on the basis of their lateral dimension (D) for sorting them.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in thatthe apparatus comprises a pressurizer (300) configured to control pressure difference in the first conduit (100).

3. The apparatus of claim 2, characterized in that the pressurizer (300) is configured to cause pulses of pressure in the first conduit (100).

4. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus comprises an antiflocculant feeder (200) configured to provide the suspension (120) with at least one antiflocculant agent.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the first conduit (100) comprises a cascade of sub-conduits (100°, 100”), and objects (104) of a sub-conduit (100”) are larger than those in a previous sub-conduit (100°).

6. The apparatus of claim 5, characterized in that the first conduit (100) is configured to output elongated particles longer than the distance between the directly adjacent objects (104) of the second sub-conduit (100”) prior to the second sub-conduit (100”).

7. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that a distance S 20 between two of the rows (106 to 110, 106' to 110°) is varying from row to row, the se two rows being directly adjacent in the direction (124, 124’) the laminar flow.

N 8. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus E comprises a flusher (500) configured to provide the conduit (100, 102) with a S backflow.

2 > 25 9. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a measuring device (600) configured to measure at least one property of the particles (122) and/or the suspension (120) of at least one of fractions (602 to 612) output by the conduit (100, 102).

10. The apparatus of claim 9, characterized in that the measuring device (600) is configured to perform at least one of the following measurement: an optical measurement, a microwave measurement, an electrical measurement, a mass spectroscopic measurement, and a nuclear magnetic resonance measurement.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, characterized in that to the first conduit (100) is configured to receive the suspension (120) from a fractionator (350); and the measuring device (600) is configured to measure the at least one property of the particles (122) and/or the suspension (120).

12. A method of sorting particles (122) in flowing suspension (120), characterized by causing (1300) the suspension (120), which has elongated particles (122) of a botanical origin having a longitudinal dimension (L) larger than either of lateral and vertical dimensions (D), to flow, in a laminar manner, through a first conduit (100), which comprises a plurality of separate objects (104) orderly arranged in a form of a plurality of rows (106 to 110) inclined to a direction (124) of the laminar flow of the suspension (120), and a shortest distance (L1) between directly adjacent objects (104) of a row (106 to 110) of the first conduit (100) is — egual to or larger than the longitudinal dimension (L) of the elongated particles S (122); and g causing (1302) divergence of the laminar flow by the objects (104) of N the first conduit (100) that are wider on a side receiving the laminar flow than on E 25 an opposite side for sorting the particles (122). S

13. The method of claim 12, characterized byincreasing (1304) 3 parallelism between the longitudinal axes of the elongated particles (122) and a N direction perpendicular to the direction of the laminar flow (124) on the basis of divergence of the laminar flow caused by the objects (104) of the first conduit (100) that are wider on a side receiving the laminar flow than on an opposite side.

14. The method of claim 12, characterized bysorting (1304) the elongated particles (122) by deviating the elongated particles (122) to separate paths on the basis of their longitudinal dimension (L) by diverging side-by-side laminar streams (130 to 134) of different velocities in the laminar flow through gaps (140) between the objects (104) of a common row (106 to 110) with the objects (104) of the first conduit (100).

N

O

N 0

I

N

I Ac a

LO

O +

LO 00

O

N